Macroscelides micus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Macroscelides micus |
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Macroscelides
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micus
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The Macroscelides micus, also known as the Etendeka round-eared sengi or Etendeka round-eared elephant shrew, is a tiny mammal. It belongs to the elephant shrew family, Macroscelididae. This special animal lives only in the gravel plains of the Etendeka formation in north-west Namibia. It is the smallest elephant shrew known. It measures about 7.3 inches (19 cm) long and weighs less than an ounce (28 grams).
Meet the Etendeka Round-Eared Sengi
The Macroscelides micus is the smallest elephant shrew ever found. Its body looks a bit like a long-nosed mouse. But don't let that fool you! It's actually more closely related to elephants and manatees. This is because it belongs to a group of animals called Afrotheria.
This sengi has pink skin and reddish fur. This color helps it blend in with the volcanic rocks where it lives. When fully grown, it weighs less than 28 grams. That's about the weight of a slice of bread! It is also about 7.3 inches (19 cm) long, including its tail. The M. micus has long, thin legs compared to its body size.
The M. micus does not dig burrows to live in. Instead, it sleeps hidden in bushes. It uses its long nose to sniff out and hunt insects on the ground. Some types of elephant shrews are known to stay with one partner for their whole lives. We don't know if the M. micus does this too. When baby M. micus are born, they are often twins. They can run around almost right away!
How This Sengi Was Discovered
The Macroscelides micus was first noticed as a strange sample in 2006. It was part of a collection of elephant shrews at the California Academy of Sciences. Its unique red fur made it stand out from the other samples.
Scientists did Genetic testing on the sample. This testing suggested it was a new and different species. But they needed more proof to be sure. So, a team of scientists led by Dumbacher et al. went to the Namib Desert. They visited the area nine times over several years. They set traps using bait like peanut butter, oats, and Marmite. They caught 21 elephant shrews in total. Out of these, 15 were the new species!
In 2014, Dumbacher and his team officially described M. micus as a new species. The name micus comes from the Greek word mikros, which means "small." The "Etendeka" part of its common name is the local word for the mountain range where this sengi lives. The scientists believe this species was not found earlier because it lives in a small, remote area that is hard to reach.
Related Sengi Species
The Macroscelides micus lives in the same area as another sengi, the Macroscelides flavicaudatus. However, they are still different. Scientists found that M. micus and M. flavicaudatus do not mix or breed with each other. They also live in different kinds of places. The M. micus prefers the gravel areas at the bottom of hills and mountains. The M. flavicaudatus lives in river valleys and other rocky areas.
Another sengi, the Macroscelides proboscideus, does not live in the same areas as M. micus. Scientists studied the genes of these sengis. They found that M. proboscideus and M. flavicaudatus are more closely related to each other. The M. micus is a bit less closely related to them.
